


Mamihlapinatapei

by rayeliann



Series: A Small Fire in a Dark World [5]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Crisis of Faith, F/M, Full Moon, Moonlight, midnight meeting, utter fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-07
Updated: 2015-03-07
Packaged: 2018-03-16 17:43:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3497135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayeliann/pseuds/rayeliann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mamihlapinatapei - The look between two people in which each loves the other but is too afraid to make the first move.</p><p>This is pre-romance Cullen and Hadynne are still getting to know each other.<br/>Post-Haven, Post- Therinfal Redoubt.<br/>Pre-Adamant/Fade, Pre-Perserverence, Pre-Halamshiral/Winter Palace.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mamihlapinatapei

No matter how she tossed and turned, Hadynne could not get comfortable in her bed. She had tried nearly every sleeping position imaginable (and created a few new ones), but sleep continued to elude her.  Sighing in exasperation, she sat up in bed, admitting defeat.

Hadynne slipped out of bed, and wandered into the moonlight that flooded into her room from the balcony. She was wearing only her thin white nightgown, and in the silvery light, she looked to be more spirit than woman.

Hadynne hummed softly to herself, a tune that had been turning over and over in her head - an old violin piece she hadn’t heard in ages. Slowly, she floated from one foot to the other, extending her arms as she twirled in a wistful little dance.

* * *

 

Across the courtyard in an entirely different part of Skyhold, Cullen had just finished the last of his requisition forms and assorted other paperwork. Josephine had been prodding him to finish them for days. He stretched, immediately regretting sitting in one place so long. One of his knees had locked up, and he leaned heavily on the table as he pulled off the extra weight of his armor and furs. He wasn’t feeling especially sleepy, so Cullen decided the best remedy would be to take a short walk around the battlements to loosen up the joints that had gone stiff.

Cullen wandered to his window, looking at the bright, silver moon that was nearly full and casting brilliant light across Skyhold. Moments like this, when the fortress was sleeping and quiet, he could almost forget the threat that loomed over them all. That… _thing_ that had destroyed Haven and taken so many of their friends and soldiers from them. Something moving in the main Keep caught Cullen’s attention. It was in the windows, beautifully stained glass windows, high above Vivienne’s balcony. _The Inquisitor’s room_.

Cullen felt a rush of adrenaline and panic as his mind immediately jumped to assassination possibilities. Before he could reach for his sword and dash to her rescue (nearly on the other side of Skyhold and up several flights of stairs), the figure moved out onto the balcony in the moonlight.

It was Hadynne.  The moonlight lit up her pale white nightgown as it floated around her. She had her face turned to the sky, and was dancing lazily, basking in the pale moonlight. It was an odd, whimsical thing for such a practical person, but she moved fluidly, like a flower turning in the wind and always facing the sun.

Cullen felt a blush rise on his neck when he realized he was staring at her tiny silhouette out the window. She clearly did not know anyone was watching, and it was terribly rude of him to intrude in such a manner. Tearing himself from the window, he decided to go on that walk around the ramparts, looking decidedly down, into the valley overlooking his troops.

* * *

 

Hadynne had pulled on a light silk robe, tied in a neat little bow around her waist and slipped her feet into flat satin slippers. Absentmindedly, she allowed her feet to carry her down the stairs from her chambers, and through Skyhold.

Hadynne wandered the main building first, finding rooms in the basement that she had not known existed. The sheer size of Skyhold never ceased to amaze her. She picked up an apple on her way through the kitchen, admiring the shining, red skin of it. After the kitchens, Hadynne found herself heading toward the Gardens. Or, more specifically, the little chantry nook that was hidden just off of them.

She disliked the idea of Sisters and Chanters repeating the same words over and over until they lost their meaning. Too many people knew the words of the Chant, and not nearly enough seemed to understand the meaning of them. To devout Andrastians like Leliana and Cassandra, Hadynne had come off as skeptical and critical of the Chantry. But Hadynne simply regarded religion as a private matter. Sure, she had her moments of doubt. Moments when Cassandra’s insistence that she had been exactly what they needed at exactly the right time… had not seemed so far-fetched. Was it possible for her to be guided by the Maker toward a purpose - this purpose- without becoming some “chosen” or “holy” symbol? _Herald of Andraste…_

Hadynne lit the candles at the statue of Andraste’s feet one at a time, enjoying the flash of fire on her fingertips as the candles slowly came to life. The room lit up in a flickering, golden glow, and she smiled. Perhaps her affinity for the Chantry was an aesthetic one. There was something so comforting about candlelight.

Hadynne surveyed Andraste, her eyes resting on the stern, carved features of her face. She wondered what she had truly been like. Would she have liked Andraste? Had she been as stern and fierce as all of the statues made her seem? Somehow, Hadynne doubted the woman herself had been eight feet tall, with a sword the size of a middle-aged man. Hadynne felt her head tilt to the side as she stared hard at the statue, as if it could provide her with the answers she was seeking. 

“Oh!” A soft exclamation came from the doorway of the room, causing Hadynne to turn quickly. Commander Cullen stood in the doorway, free of his bulky armor, and wearing a simple set of breeches and an untucked cotton shirt, open wide at the neck.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you, Inquisitor. I had not thought to find anyone here.” Cullen said quickly, as if apologizing was second nature.

“Honestly Commander? I had not thought to find myself here.” Hadynne admitted. There was something comforting about Cullen. Something safe. Perhaps it was the Templar in him that she trusted to protect her, but this felt… like something more. She didn’t like she needed to hide anything from him, and that was oddly refreshing. As if he sensed she needed company, Cullen took a few steps further into the room.

“Oh, but would you like me to go?” Hadynne asked, suddenly realizing that though she had no idea what she was doing there, Cullen could have come with very clear intentions and her presence could have been seen as intrusive.

“That’s not necessary. I was simply feeling a bit restless, and my feet carried me here.”

“In that case, would you care for some company? My only condition is no more chess. I believe I am still recovering from my embarrassing defeat.”

“You did not do that badly.” Cullen said, chuckling low in his throat as Hadynne fell into step beside him. They had started to wander out, into the long hallway that framed the Garden.

“Commander, you are being kind. I’m afraid I was severely outmatched. Chess pieces cannot be charmed after all.” Hadynne quipped, her grin tilting slyly. She was fully aware where her strengths were, and there seemed little sense in feigning ignorance. She was rewarded with a low chuckled from Cullen as they found their way to the giant staircase that lead from the Main Hall down into the courtyard.

Instinctively, Cullen offered Hadynne his arm as they descended, and she smirked up at him. She was not wearing her signature dark lipstick or dark eye makeup, and her freckles seemed darker as they spilled across the bridge of her nose. Her auburn hair was messy, and she was wearing a long robe that fluttered in the mountain wind. And yet, Cullen felt his heartbeat quicken at her smile, and would have sworn she was every bit as beautiful as ever.

“You should be more careful about offering a lady your arm, Commander. You might not get it back.” Hadynne said coyly, her eyes sparkling up at Cullen as they reached the bottom of the stairs. She had leaned in close as she spoke, her top lip curling slightly as it pulled to the left.

Hadynne’s eyes had locked on to Cullen’s honey-gold ones, and they exchanged a long, silent look. Hadynne felt her smile wobble, for the first time in her life she felt a little unsure and… nervous? Cullen felt a heat rise in his face, and his stomach dropped dangerously. His forehead brushed hers just for a moment as the words of his response seemed to fall out of his mouth before he had a chance to think them through.

“What if I don’t want it back?”


End file.
